Young Chinese Resonate with New Buzzword 'Active Loser'

2018-05-30 18:16:40China Minutes

More
than five months into 2018, do you still remember your New Year's
resolution? Those who have broken their new year vows have been given
a new nickname in China: 'active loser' (积极废人).
This is a new buzzword that refers to people who repeatedly make and
break resolutions. Though seemingly aspiring and ambitious, they
rarely put ideas into action and always feel guilty for their
laziness.

Baidu
Index, a Chinese keyword research tool has revealed that public
interest in the topic surged in May. 66% of people following the
topic are aged between 30 and 39, 34% are aged between 20 and 29. On
social media Weibo, the hashtag #activeloser has been viewed over
three million times, and has had nearly 10,000 related posts.
Numerous Weibo users have contributed to the memes and funny pictures
which have flooded social media. The following may give you a vivid
portrait of active losers.

They
are good at setting goals, but never seem able to fulfil them.

They
are always aspiring and ambitious, but never put ideas into action.

They
often panic after having fun and blame themselves for laziness.

Many
young Chinese people resonate with the buzzword, sharing their
stories of making and breaking promises. One says she vowed to get up
early and have breakfast, but ends up sleeping in until 2 pm the next
day. Another says when he shows his active side, he is performing;
but when acts like a loser, he is being himself.

While
the word has won numerous fans on social media, mainstream Chinese
media has shown disapproval. According to the China Youth Daily, it
is never wrong to be active, even if one's purpose is to flaunt their
ambition. The problem is one shouldn't be a loser who repeatedly runs
out of steam. Beijing News advises active losers to tailor their
goals accordingly, otherwise they might be held back from success by
larger-than-life aspirations.

Nowadays
many Chinese citizens are plagued by a constant undercurrent of
stress and anxiety. China has accumulated considerable wealth after
decades of development, but the ongoing economic restructuring has
made people increasingly anxious about housing, air pollution,
education, cultural identity and the social ladder, as noted by
Beijing Business Today.